Combined head-rest and cane



T. S. MINNISS! COMBINED HEAD BEST AND CANE.-

Patented Jan. '7, 1 890 N. PETER5, Phonrutrwgnpmr. wmm u c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC THOMAS S. MINNISS, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINED HEAD- REST AND CANE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,806, dated January '7, 1890.

Application filed m 22, 1889.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS S. MINNIss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mead- "ille, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a Head-Rest in Combination with a alking-Cane, or, rather, a head-rest convertible into a walking-stick at pleasure,of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 shows the'head-rest ready for use. Fig. 2 shows the same as a cane, with the addition of the cap or handle G at top and ferr'nle H at bottom. Fig. 3 is a cross-section showing the web coiled round the spindle D when closed into a cane. Fig. 4. is the stretcher for Fig. 5. Fig. 5 shows the rest for the use of ladies, folded.

'two equal parts of wood, metal, rubber, or

. able fabric.

other suitable material. The stretcher E in Fig. 1 is a light rod, whose ends fit into holes in the heads of A and B to keepthe web extended. The web 0 is fastened at one end to the spindle D-and the other end to the concave side of B, so that when-the spindle is turned by the thumb-piece F, A and B are drawn together, when the rod E is removed.

Before the handle-piece G and ferrule H are put in place the rod E is slipped into the case and held between the shell and the rolledup web. (See E, Fig. 3.)

The bearings I I forthe spindle are firmly fixed to the concave side of A. I

The web or rest-pieceOi's made of any suit- VVhen stretched, as seen in Fig. 1, it is taken in both hands and thrown over and behind the head till the occiput rests about the center of the web 0, when A and B are drawn down in front of the shoulders till the desired tension is made to rest the head, when it can be held by the weight of the arms, or a cord or strap round the back can be hooked to and B in front to suit the form of the wearer, and when thus strapped on, the wearer can move about with the free use of Serial No. 311,745. (No model.)

all his limbs; and when seated with the body inclined backward it makes a pleasant rest for the head; or, when seated as a listener or a reader, one can quickly adjust the cane as a comfortable head-rest.

When the rest is made for ladies, toloe carried with the umbrella, I fasten the web C to two sticks of suitable length, and when not in use it is rolled round both sticks till they are drawn tight together, when it can be tied or held by a rubber ring. (See Fig. 5.)

The stretcher is a light rod looped at both ends to slip over the tops of 'A and B when spread out. (See stretcher, Fig. 4.)

I coil the web 0 in fourdifferent ways:

First. A spring is coiled round the spindle below the web, one end of the spring being fastened to the spindle and the other end to the concave A. The unrolling of the Web thus gives tension to the spring, whose recoil winds up the web.

Second. Acord is fastened to one end of the spindle, which the .unrolling of the web will wind up, and this in turn, by being drawn out, will rewind the web, when the cord can'be dropped into the tube below, out of sight.

Third. The thumb-piece'F at the top of D, as shown in Fig. 1, and, fourth, the rolling of the web round the two uprights, as shown in Fig. 5. I

I disclaim the use of a web when in any manner connected with the back of a chair.

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The spindle D, in combination with the Web O, the sticks A B, and the rod or stretcher E, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the web 0, the concave sticks A B, and the rod E, inclosed between the two concaves, with the cap G and ferrule H, forming thus a symmetrical walk ing-cane, substantially as set forth.

THOMAS S. MINNISS. lVitnesses:

- Mrs. P. A. GAGE,

J. BENNETT PORTER. 

